A little while back, local blogger Middle Aged Woman Blogging (MAWB) was chastised by another local blogger (the infamous kcdad) for saying "my heart goes out" to the families...I have been thinking about the strength of that statement ever since, trying to understand why such a simple statement made kcdad feel the need to berate MAWB. I don't understand it and I'm fine with that.
Last night I was watching the mother who lost her 17 year old daughter over the weekend; as she sat there saying this child was "the light of my life", a tear rolled own my face, my hand went up to my heart and for that brief moment - I felt her pain. As I watched the families of the people shot and killed at Fort Hood, my throat started to constrict, a tear welled up in my eye and my hand instinctively went up to my heart - I briefly felt their pain.
My girls laugh at me when they see me watching a news report and be moved to tears. I used to try and hide it, but I don't anymore. I care about my fellow human beings and I want my children to know that empathy is okay - it makes one human.
EMPATHY - the intellectual identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another.
As I look at MAWB's blog today, she is struggling with the loss of a family friend. I read her post; I looked at the picture of the young man; I thought of his mother; my throat started to constrict and a tear welled up in my eye. I thought of my children; I thought of the mother and friends who are struggling with the loss of their loved one; and for a brief moment, my heart felt heavy and I just wanted to say...
I empathize with what you are going through ... my heart goes out to you.